"The...students were knowledgeable, excited, and very involved. It was an equally rewarding experience for me."- JT Volunteer

"What a wonderful experience! The class was hesitant to participate at first and appeared to be trying to maintain a "tough" and disinterested facade. However, once they realized that the discussion related to real life situations and that we wanted them to talk to us, even the most reticent children began participating. By the end we were having a really spirited discussion about constitutional rights with kids that, I get the feeling, don't open up too much in class. All in all a lot of fun."- JT Volunteer discussing the Invaders Activity

SHORT TAKES LESSONS:

Icebreakers - These are short 20-minute activities that can be used as stand alone activities or introductory exercises.

Teaching About Controversial Issues - Students practice listening to other's opinions, consider polar positions on controversial topics and their impact, and practice the skill of stating and analyzing a position.

Short Takes - Icebreakers - These are short 20-minute activities that can be used as stand alone activities or introductory exercises.

State of Nature with Handout describing various types of govenment- This activity will give students the opportunity to develop their own form of government and how it will operate as well as the rights they will have in this new country.

You and the Law (pdf) Plus QUIZ SHOW: You and the Law (powerpoint) - This activity is designed to be used with the Legal Guide for New Adults brochure distributed by The Florida Bar. The QUIZ SHOW GAME format provides a stimulating environment for introducing legal content and encouraging further research on law-related topics.

QUIZ SHOW: So You Want to be as Smart as a State Court Judge? (PowerPoint) - This activity is designed for middle school students and is based on the popular quiz show "Are you Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" Questions pertain to the Florida Constitution, the US Constitution, Constitutional Rights, Supreme Corut Justices, Branches of Government, Qualificaitons of Judges, Amendments, Judicial Behavior, Jury Duty and the Courts.

Judicial Discipline & Accountability (HIGH SCHOOL ONLY) - Providing effective remedies for judicial misconduct helps preserve judicial independence and maintain trust and confidence in the integrity of the courts. This lesson will introduce participants to judicial misconduct and how state court judges are subject to disciplinary action.

NEWYertle the Turtle- This activity asks students to creatively explore concepts that are related to the purpose of government and the importance of restrictions on power. The lesson plan is best suited for middle school students.